With the numerous amount of golf games out there, you are
probably wondering if this one is any different; well it is. The
best way to describe this golf game is that it is arcade-ish,
probably because it is based on an arcade game. While this is
a good alternative to people that do not want to face all the
confusing interfaces of other golf games, some drawbacks it
carries bring this game down to being just a good golf game
rather than one of the best.

Graphics: 18 / 20

The graphics are drop dead gorgeous, with the exception of
the 640x480 resolution (Although 640x480 is not too shabby, just
loses a lot of the detail). The 800x600 and the 1024x768
resolutions for this game are a sight comparable to Links LS.
The 3 courses take us to 3 different settings: the wooded creeks
of the Pine Creek, the sandy beach of the Coral Ridge, and the
mountains of the Red Sands. This is enhanced with many
touches such as the palm trees in the Coral Ridge and the cacti
in the Red Sands. There are even the occasional run-ins with
bears, moose, and the gardener. The redraw is also extremely
fast. The only lacking touch is moving animations (Those
stationary ducks do get annoying), but that is rarely found in a
golf game anyway. The overall impression it gives is a sharp
photorealistic setting to play in.

Sound: 13 / 15

The sound effects are what you would expect from a golf
game: bristling wind, water waves, etc. The play by play, done
by two people, Peter Jacobsen and an unknown lad with a
British accent is amusing. One shot may treat you to Peter
Jacobsen's whispering comment of telling you the putt is for a
birdie, displaying seriousness, then out of no where comes the
unknown lad saying "Get the sand bucket" in a heavy British
accent, if you overshoot it into the bunker. There is also the
motivational speech Peter Jacobsen throws in after a bad
course, and the "You're on fire!" after a well done course.
Sometimes, even the crowd may comment on the shot your
just made. Although it might tend to be just a little on the
repetitive side after a long game, it isn't to the point that it
becomes an annoyance.

Gameplay: 23 / 30

Well, this is a mixed bag. The game physics overall are
realistic enough. The TrackSwing (the swing where the
movement of your mouse determines the power and direction)
is easy to control, although people looking for the 2-3 click
swings can look elsewhere since this game doesn't offer any
alternative to the TrackSwing. The difference between the
TrackSwing and other similar swings, such as the Actua Swing
in Actua Golf 2, is that it is very simple to use. There is only 2
things to watch for when swinging with your mouse: the
amount of speed you move your mouse forward, and the
direction you swing in. To pull a backspin shot, all you have to
do is hold the right button instead of the left one. There are,
however, things lacking that keep this from being one of the
best golf games. The first, mentioned earlier, is the lack of
options, like changing the swing method, the amount of holes
you play (locked at 18), etc. There are only two ways to play
the game, stroke play and skins. Playing against a computer
opponent is found in the Shadow Player Games. There are 7
predefined opponents to load, which means the games' stroke
and final score are always the same. It's just playing against a
game that has been played before. In my opinion, this brings
down the single player play drastically. It adds up to if you can
beat their final score, you win.

Fun Factor: 13 / 20

There is only one factor that brings the fun factor of this game
down. The lack of a real computer opponent really hurts a
sports game. It's like playing Tetris and knowing the moves of
your opponents and the final score. This eliminates a lot of the
excitement to the game, that feeling of anticipation to see your
opponent miss a shot in order for you to make a great one to
win the game. Basically if you wanna beat the hardest
opponent, all you have to do is play better than a -21 on Pine
Creek. This of course only affects single player games. The
internet feature for multiplayer is well done. It's played through
Golf Tee Net, where people can find others hosting games, and
join in. There is not much noticable lag either. The game itself
is fun and easy to play as the courses are challenging and well
designed (I have no idea if it is based on a real course). Click
Swing or die people, however, can die if they pick up this one.

Multiplayer Play: 5 / 5

It supports LAN, internet, modem and direct link for multiplayer
play from 1 to 4 people.

Overall Impression: 8 / 10

It's an easy golf game to get into and fun to play. It's a godsend
for the people that love golf, but are turned away by the
complexity of other golf games. The only major drawback is
the lack of a real computer opponent which takes away that
excitement of playing sports (The anticipation for a computer
opponent's miss, the putt that must be made, etc.).